The Mysteries of the Court of London — page 285: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

276 celles, he was in reality an interloper in the family. “Now I suppose, Adolphus,” said the Earl, accosting him, “you will consent to marry your cousin Isabel—and I will ring the bell at once to let her know she is to send for the milliner and order the wedding-dress.” ‘No, no—for heaven’s sake act noé thus pre- cipitately !” exclaimed Adolphus. “ At least give me four-and-twenty hours to reflect !” ‘ Four-and-twenty hours to reflect!” ejaculated the old nobleman. “Why, I never reflected for four-and-twenty hours running in ail my life!" “It is impossible to come to an i i decision!” rejoined Adolphus impatiently. “My feelings are so disturbed—my mind is so cruelly agitated——~I beseech you, press me not now— but at this hour to-morrow “Well, well—I seo that I must humour you,” said the old nobleman: “ and it is natural enough you should be annoyed and excited to learn that you are not your father’s son! But mind! to- morrow we shall set to work in good earnest to hurry on this bridal.” Adolphus made no response—but hastened from the room. He retired to his own chamber, and there gave way to his reflections. An hour did he thus remain in the companionship of those thoughts; and at the expiration of that interval, his mind eppeared to be made up to some particu- Jar course. to the drawing-room, he found the Countess and Isabella seated together ; and the former was at once struck by the strange- ness of his looks. He inquired where the Earl was—and learnt that he had gone out in the car- riage for an hour or two. Adolphus then made a sign for the Countess to escape from Isabella's society, or get rid of her for a little while, on some pretext ; and Ethel was therefore still further con- vinced that there was something exceedingly wrong. It was by no means difficult for Lady Lascelles to quit the apartment without exciting ® suspicion on the part of the unsophisticated Isa- bella ; and Adolphus speedily followed her. They were now alone together in another sitting- room ; and Ethel immediately said, “ For heaven's sake, Adolphus, relieve me from suspense! What has happened ?—has the Earl discovered every- thing ? is my deep, deep guilt known to him ?P” “No, Ethel,” was the young man’s response: “and you are not #0 deeply guilty as you have hitherto believed yourself! A strange and terrible revelation has been made to me——In a word, I am not the Earl’s son !” e It would be impoesible to describe the astonish- ment experienced by Ethel on receiving this an- nouncement : but the first thought that struck her as that feeling of amazement subsided, wae that the brain of Adolphus had become unsettled. When however he circumstantially detailed to her all that had passed between himself and the Earl of Las- celles, she perceived that it was indeed the truth which he was telling her, and that he spoke rationally and sensibly. She then recollected that the old Earl—when, in an exceeding uxorious mood, instituting comparisons to her face between herself and his former Coun y too when he was under the influence of wine—had more than once dropped s hint of some strange de- ception which that deceased wife of his had prac- THE MYSTERIES OF THE COUBEL, tieed towards him: but from motives of delicacy Ethel bad never pressed any inquiry on the point —and the Earl himself had never gone beyond the vague hints just alluded to. Now, however everything was explained ; and in those very hints themselves the Countess beheld a confirmation of the startling and wondrous tale which Adolphus had just related. She sate gazing upon him with illimitable love and compassion in her looks: the better feelings which had prompted her to write him the mote so strenuously urging separation, were all absorbed in the profound pity she experi- enced for him ;—and the excitement of so much sympathy could not do otherwise than resuscitate all the ardour of her passion. Perhaps, too, the knowledge that this passion had suddenly ceased to wear the doubly dark aspect it had previously borne to ber contemplation, was another strong reason wherefore her deep and devoted love shoald thus revive. Yes—-she sate gazing upon him with looks of fondness and sympathy: bat she spoke not to- | —she knew not what words to say. “ Ethel,” at length said Adolphus, breaking this long silence, “after everything that has taken place between us, I could not settle my mind to any specific course without first consulting you.” “I know not bow to advise you, Adolphus,” answered the Countess. “I am as much bewil- dered as, heaven knows, you youreelf must be !” <‘ To-morrow at mid-day,” said the young man, with a species of desperation in his looks, “ I must notify my decision to the Earl.” * And that decision,” said Ethel in a low soft voice, but with the glitter of anxiety in her eyes, —“ what will it be P” “I see that you yourself feel,” responded Adol- phus, “that I have but one course to adopt—that there is no alternative but to yield to the Earl's wishes.” A low shriek—or rather half-stifled scream burst from the lips of Ethel at these words evidently so altogether unexpected by her; and Adolphus, with a sudden start, contemplated her in mingled sur- prise and terror. “ No—never, never, Adolphus!” she exclaimed, springing up from her chair, her checks flushing and her eyes flashing with an almost frenzied ex- citement, “What! you marry Isabella? No, no !—I could not live to behold you another’s !——— But perhaps you have never loved me?”—and as the thought emote her with a sudden anguish, she sank down again upon the chair weeping bitterly. ‘Ethel, dearest Ethel!” exclaimed the young man, throwing himeelf at her feet, seizing both her hands, and pressing them in fervour to his lips; “ you know that I love you-——dearly—de- votedly—madly love you! Wh then, this cruel suspicion? Ab, think you that if I loved you not as much as my lipe proclaim, I should bave been enabled to atifle all good feelings in my heart at the time when I believed it was my own father’s wife——_—” “Enough, enough!” cried Ethel hysterically : and then with a sudden solemnity of look and manner, she added in a low tone, “ At all events we are reecued from that deep sense of stupendous guilt !’ “Tell me what you would have me do, dearest Ethel,” said Adolphus; “and your slightest word ee A COMMUC DOO CS (COL